Instead of hanging around with his teammates for Game 2 in Oakland on Saturday, the Detroit Tigers righty took a flight back to Detroit at 11 a.m., hoping to fly over any fatigue that might come with a cross-country trip.

It worked.

“I think I got pretty good rest,” he said. “I feel better right now. I think that’s going to help me.”

And he’s hoping his offense will get the same early start in Game 3 of the American League Division Series today against the A’s at Comerica Park.

“We need to come in early and try to get some runs,” he said. “I’m going to do the best I can and try to be aggressive from the beginning.”

The best he could do this season was good for the lowest ERA in the AL, 2.57.

But according to the Tigers’ postseason rotation, Sanchez is only the third-best pitcher on the team, a notion that Oakland manager Bob Melvin contests.

“Any other team, he’s a top of the rotation guy,” he said.

And the Tigers, who inked Sanchez to a 5-year, $88 million deal last offseason, are banking that he brings his top-of-the-rotation stuff to the mound in the pivotal matinee.

“He’s been tremendous for us and someone we can count on,” catcher Alex Avila said. “We knew we were getting a guy that was going to keep us in the game and he’s definitely been much better than what anyone has thought as far as his consistency.”

And Sanchez knew he would be pitching in these games with the Tigers.

“When I make the decision to come back to this team is because they gave me a good opportunity to be here,” Sanchez said.

He was here last year, in the postseason, and compiled a 1.77 ERA in three starts.

He mentioned two keys to beating the A’s — retiring the leadoff hitters and registering first-pitch strikes — and twice mentioned today’s start as a challenge.

“We need it here again,” he said. “We need this win.”

Sanchez watched Game 2 on television, said he felt like he was there and that he didn’t take much from his last start against Oakland on Aug. 26, when he allowed four runs in five innings on 112 pitches in a no-decision. The Tigers went on to lose that game, 8-6.

“Still the same type of team,” he said. “We need to concentrate in every pitch and every situation, because they can make a good rally. Especially that team. They never get down.”

But hopefully for Sanchez and the Tigers, after today, they will be down.